Exercising device



B. J. GRIFFIN 2,973,962

ExERcIsING DEVICE March 7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 25, 1960 March 7, 1961 B. J. GRIFFIN 2,973,962

EXERCISING DEVICE Filed May 23, 1960 I 2 Sheets-Shoe?l 2 vINVENTOR.

BfA/JAM ff/fw.

EXERCISING DEVICE Benjamin J. Gritin, P.O. Box 183, La Porte, Ind.

Filed May 23, 1960, Ser. No. 31,107

8 Claims. (Cl. 272-67) This invention relates to improvements in exercising devices, and more particularly to a device for exercising the muscles of the hands, wrists and arms.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device which is simple in construction, easy to assemble, light in Weight, small in size for convenient shipment and storage, low in cost, usable in any location without requiring a large space, and eiective to exercise the muscles of the hands, wrists and arms.

A further object' is to provide a device of this character having two relatively rotatable parts adapted to be maintained in a normal position by resilient means and to be displaced from normal position against the resistance of such resilient means which produce progressively increasing resistance as displacement from normal increases so that the device is usable to exercise to any extent desired by the user.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is attractive in appearance, in which the positioning means are confined and in which no obstructions or projections exist which might injure the user or the clothing of the user during use of the device.

`Other objects will be apparent from the following specication.

In the drawing: Y

Fig. 1 isa view of the device in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is an `axial sectional view of the device taken on line 2-,2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vsectional'vievv of the device taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 4 is an axial sectional view of the device taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 5 and'illustr'ating the connecting means of the device displaced to facilitate application of and removal of a releasable fastener forming a part of said connecting means; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line I S-S of Fig. 4 andill-ustrating aumo'diiied embodiment ofthe invention. j j Y j Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention, and particularly to Figs.

1 tov3, inclusive, the numerals 10 and 12 designate two i parts or members of the housing or'bod'y ofthe device.

Each 'of the parts 10 and` 121`is an integral unitiwliich may be formed of any suitable material of rigid character,

such as wood, metal, synthetieresin, hard rubber for glass. Partsltl'and 12 may be formedby shaping, ma-

chining,casting, moldin'glor'any other lforming' process suitable for theformation o f a member according to the material of which the same is to be formed;

Member'lt) is characterized by lan elongated handle or grip portion i4 and an enlarged 'concentric' disk por-V tion16 having a substantially fiat outer or end yface'intertherethrough including 'a large diameter "bore portion 2o rextending for the major portion of the length of the lhandle imatertted lidar, i.

14 and a concentric reduced diameter bore portion 28 extending through the central part 22 of the large diameter end of the member 10.

The member 12 is provided with an elongated handle portion 30 preferably of substantially the same diameter or cross-sectional size as the handle i4 and also preferably of substantially the same length as the handle i4. An enlarged concentric disk portion 32 is carried by the handle 30 and has a substantially flat face 34 preferably substantially perpendicular to the axis of the member i2. An anunular ange 36 projects from the disk part 32 concentrically thereof. The inner diameter of the annular part 36 is preferably slightly greater than the outer diameter of the central part 22 of the member lli. The outer diameter of the annular portion 36 is much smaller than the inner diameter of the annular part 20 of the member 10 so as to cooperate therewith to define an annular chamber of approximately square cross-sectional shape between the parts 20, 24, 36 and 32 when the members 10 and 12 are assembled as illustrated in Fig. 2 with the ilange 36 of member 12 fitting in the groove iS of the member 10. Suitable means may be provided to space or position the parts 1li and 12 endwise, such as a bead 38 formed at the inner end of one of the members lil and 12, here shown as the member 12, and abutting the opposite member.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the enlarged end or disk 16 of the member 10 has a pair of rigid vanes or abutments 40 formed therein and preferably extending substantially radially inwardly from the annular wall 26 to terminate spaced from the -annular part 36 of the member 12. The member 12 has a pair of abutments 42 carried by the enlarged or disk portion 32 thereof projecting substantially radially outwardly from the annular part 36 and terminating clear of the inner periphery of the part 2) of the member 10. VWhile two abutments iii and two abutments 42 are illustrated in Fig. 3, it will be understood that the number of such labutments may vary aecording to the size of the device and other desired characteristics. The abutments 4h and 42 cooperate to divide the annular space between the adjacent members iii and 12 into a plurality of compartments each adapted to receive a coil spring 44. Each spring bears at one end upon an abutment 40 and its opposite end upon an abutment 42, as seen in Fig. 3. The springs 44 cooperate to hold the members 10 and 12 in a selected normal rotative position which may be designatedV by alignment of marks thereon, such as a mark 46 on the edge of part 32 of member 12, and a mark 4S on the edge of part 2E of member 1i), asfseen in Fig. l. One of the members 1li and i2 is preferably provided with a plurality of additional marks, such as the marks Sti, 52, 54 and 56 on 4member 20 spaced from mark 4S and from each other,

as illustrated in Fig. l. Such additional-marks may be of any number and spacing desired, and each mayhave an indicia associated therewith toA identify it, as seen .in

Fig. 1, so as to provide a readyindication ofthe extent of relative rotation of the members ll@ and i2 fromy the'k vnormal position at whichthe marks de and Ri register as a result of la normal positioning action of thesprings 44 upon the device. l

The member 12 has rotatably in the reduced borejportions 2S and y60 therel of and havin'glan enlarged head 66 at one end fitting l Vfreely. and rotatably within the bore portionZ-,of `the an axial bore oli `therethroutgh which is of substantiallytthe same diameter as the bore 28 of tliemembenlti for the major portion of its extent and which is'preferably enlarged atV 62 at its outerend-.` 1 The members wand 12V are interconnected'by-anj'elon-n v'gated rod or connector- 64 fitting snuglyandfslidably Vand j wardlywofl the end of th member itl. A. coil spring 68 encircles the member 64 Within the bore 26 of the handle 14 of the member 10. One end of the spring od bears against the head 6 6 and the other `end thereof bears against a shoulder formed between the bore portions 26 and 28 in the member 1t). Adjacent its opposite end the member 6.4 has a circumferential groove l therein adapted to receive a split locking ring 72 which is adapted to bear against the shoulder between the bore parts 60 and 62 of the member l?. in the assembled position of the parts, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The spacing between the groove 79 and the head no is preferably such that the head o6 will remain confined within the outline of the member llt) while the parts are in operative assembled condition.

It will be apparent that the device permits a user to grasp the members l@ and ft2 at the handle portions 14 and 3f). The handles may have grooved or configured contours, as illustrated at 74, to facilitate a firm substantially non-slip grip thereofA The user then rotates the members lo and l2 in opposite directions. This results in compression of two diametrically opposed springs i4 and in release of compression of the intervening springs in constructions Where four springs are employed, as seen in Fig. 3. The springs will be so selected that the stiffness and strength thereof will resist compression by predetermined progressively increasing increments or amounts as the'members It) and i2 are rotated relative to each other. The springs ywill preferably be of such strength that only the most muscular users can completely compress them by relative rotae tion of the members 1t) and l2. As soon as the user relaxes the muscular exertion applied to turn the members 10 and 12 relative to each other, said members return toward normal position so as to restore the device to normal condition. It will be understood that in the normal condition of the device, all of the springs are partially compressed. The springs 44 will preferably be of substantially the same dimensions and the lsame strength. It will be apparent that exercise can be secured by turning the device'in either direction from its normal or centered position seen in Fig. l and in Fig. 3.

Assembly of the device can be effected easily and simply by installing the springs within the annular groove 18 of the member l0 preferably in end abutment at one end and in abutment -with a partition 4) at the other end of each. Then the member 12 may be applied axially toward the member l() to insert or interpose the vanes or abutments 42 thereof between adjacent ends of the springs 44. For this purpose, if desired, the leading or end edges of the vanes 42 may be tapered to facilitate their insertion between adjacent spring ends. When the members l0 and 12 are arranged in inter fitting relation, as seen in Fig. 2, the connector 64 with the coil spring 68 encircling the same is inserted through the registering bores of the'device' from the left as viewed in Fig. 2. Pressure is then exerted uponthe -headr 66 of theconnector to compress `the spring '5S and expose the groove 7i) in 'the opposite end portion of the member 64 beyond Athe end ofthe handle' 3i) so las to ac.- commodate yapplication of the split retainer ring72 thereto. Thereupon. endwise pressure on the connector 64 can be released with 'the result that the connector '.64 is positioned eas shownin Fig. 2 byexpansion of the spring 68 as limited by abutment of the lock washer 72j with the' shoulder lbetween the bores ot) and 62 of tegral with the annular part 20 of the member 10 at one end and abutting a vane 42 integral with the annulus 36 of the member 1Zat its opposite end. Fig. 5 illustrates the spring 44 at the left compressed, and the spring 44 at the right relatively expanded incident to manipulation of the device to rotate the parts 10 and 12 thereof relative to one another during use of the device for exercise purposes.

It will be understood that the two members of the `device may be substantially similar, lwith each having an annular groove interrupted by an abutment, and with the springs seated partly in each of the two grooves with their ends engaging abutments of opposite members.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. An exercising ydevice comprising a pair of members connected for relative rotation and having confronting faces, the face of one member having an annular concentric groove partially interrupted by an abutment, the other member having a. concentric annulus fitting in said groove, an abutment projecting from said annulus and fitting freely in said groove, and coil springs fitting in said groove and each engaging opposite abutments at opposite ends thereof.

2. An exercising device comprising a pair of members each having a handle portion and an enlarged disk portion substantially concentric with said handle, the disk portion of one member having a concentric annular groove in its end face, the other member having a concentric annulus projecting from its disk portion and fitting in said groove, each of said members having a projection located in said groove, and a plurality of coil springs in said groove, each spring extending between and engaging the abutments of said respective members.

3. An exercising device as defined in claim l, and a spring urging said members into engagement.

4. An exercising device as defined in claim l, wherein one of said confronting faces has a projection, and spring means urging said members toward each other for engagement of said projection with the confronting face of the other member.

5. An exercising device as defined in claim l, wherein each `of said members has an axial bore with a shoulder intermediate its ends, an elongated connecter fitting freely `in said bores andhaving abutment portions adjacent to VVouter portion defining a shoulder therein, an elongated connector fitting freely in said bores` and ,having lan enn larged end portion, 1a coil spring encircling said connector and engagingsaid fenlarged portion and the adjacent shoulder, and an abutment member .releasably mounted on lthe endof said connector opposite said ,en-

.the member-12.- Disa'ssernbly of theKV device can be i eected in the'reverse manner, namely, by pressing the connector 64 end-wise, against-the spring 63,10 the posi- #tion seen ink Fig. 4, exposing-the split` washer v72 outhandle as so .that itr'maj ,bef

manipulated for removal.

larged portion and adapted to engage the adjacent shoulder. f f

7. An exercising ydevice `as defined in claim l, wherein each member hasan axial borewith an enlargedrouter end portion defining ashoulder therein, an elongated z member rotatable in said lbores and having an enlarged abutment-defining head at one end fitting in one bore end and a coil spring encircling said elongated member and engaging,one'vabutmentof said member. and the adjacent shoulder; Said' spring weiss ,Said members into-engagement and urging the other abutment of said member into engagement with the shoulder adjacent thereto.

8. An exercise device comprising a pair of members connected for relative rotation and having configured confronting faces deining an annular concentric chamber 5 therebetween, each member having an abutment projecting into said chamber, and Ia plurality of coil springs in said chamber, the opposite ends of each spring bearing on abutments of opposite members.

References Cited in the le of this `patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

